The Malaysian Insight

FOR the first time in ages, MCA is reaching out to voters through public rallies and ceramah in the Balakong by-election.

The party had eschewed such public engagement for votes over the years, generally preferring the Barisan Nasional style of door-to-door campaigning.

Its candidate, Tan Chee Teong, and supporting MCA speakers delivered short speeches from the back of a pick-up, dubbed the “war truck” by the party faithful, in Cheras last night.

It was the ethnic Chinese party’s second ceramah after last Sunday’s maiden effort.

However, the turnout was dismal and attracted a dozen locals from the pasar malam at Taman Tun Perak to listen to the speeches delivered in Malay.

The organiser attributed the low turnout to it being the eve of Hari Raya Aidiladha.

DAP’s ceramah at a neighbourhood about five minutes’ away on Saturday attracted more than 100 people.

DAP is spacing out its night ceramah over the 21-day campaign period.

Similar to Umno in the earlier Sg Kandis by-election, most of MCA’s speakers criticised the new Pakatan Harapan government for failing to fulfil some of its 100-day election promises.

“A manifesto is very important. Election promises must be fulfilled. We cannot make light of politicians’ promises,” Bangi MCA deputy chief and three-term Balakong assemblyman Hoh Hee Lee told the crowd.

Other speakers who slammed PH made factual mistakes in their speeches.

A speaker from MCA School of Political Studies, Saw Yee Fung, falsely accused PH of promising to lower petrol prices to RM1.50, saying that only four housewives were able to sign up for the new EPF scheme launched by PH even though hundreds had queued up.

She also took PH to task for failing to write off Felda debts and abolish tolls.

Another speaker from MCA School of Political Studies, Chang Tong Woh, spoke about PH candidate Wong Siew Ki’s record as a Subang Jaya municipal councillor.

“She was a councillor for Serdang since 2016. I wanted to faint looking at her manifesto. She said she wants to resolve Balakong’s traffic congestion, but the one-way route in Serdang hasn’t been completed. Don’t trust her.  

“She only sat in her office (as a councillor). What has she done? Nothing. Potholes complaints were unaddressed. There are still plenty of potholes in Taman Universiti Indah. Now she says she wants to serve the people of Balakong.

“There are still a lot of rubbish collection problems in Seri Kembangan,” Chang said.

Selangor DAP assistant secretary and Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Ong Kian Ming praised Wong on Saturday for setting up a community garden in Taman Universiti Indah as part of a beautification project.

“Residents will notice that the areas she cared for became nicer in three to six months. The youth are also involved in the community garden. Balakong has a lot of places that can (do with community gardens) and her ideas,” said Ong. – August 22, 2018.